Terrorism, the Media, and the Law - A Discussion of the Issues (From Terrorism - The Media and the Law, P 13-50, 1982, Abraham H Miller, ed. See NCJ-86142)

• NCJ Number: 86143
• Author(s): A H Miller
• Date Published: 1982
• Length: 38 pages
• Sale Source: Transnational Publisher Inc
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

The symbiotic relationship between terrorists and the media often places the media and legal authorities in conflict when dealing with a hostage incident, but the conflict can be relieved by journalistic guidelines that give priority to the lives of the hostages.

Abstract

Because terrorists initiate violent incidents to gain dramatic publicity, and because the media seek dramatic news events, a symbiotic relationship develops between the media and terrorists. This is particularly problematic on the occasion of hostage incidents. In connection with some prolonged terrorist hostage incidents, the media have supplied information on the activities of the authorities that has jeopardized and in some cases has been alleged to have caused the loss of the lives of hostages. The media is not a monolithic enterprise such that irresponsible journalistic excesses can be generally attributed to the media. Many editors do restrict coverage of hostage incidents in the interest of saving the hostages. Democratic societies must refrain from imposing legal restrictions upon the media. The most that should be expected is that the media follow a code of professional conduct that gives priority to the saving of human life. In the final analysis, however, media personnel must be the ones to decide what such a priority demands in the reporting of a prticular incident. Seventy-three footnotes are listed.